Two students were allegedly tied to a bench as punishment at a municipal school in Anantapuramu district on Thursday, prompting the Andhra Pradesh state commission for the protection of child rights to order a probe.
The incident happened at the municipal upper primary school in Kadiri town.
The headmistress Sridevi handed over the punishment as the two students allegedly behaved naughtily in the class, commission sources said.
"I have spoken with the district collector and the municipal commissioner and asked them to conduct an inquiry and submit a report.
Full details about the incident are not yet available. I have asked them to take departmental as well as criminal action against those responsible for the incident," Commission chairperson G Hymavati told PTI.
She pointed out that any form of physical punishment in schools was a criminal offence as per Juvenile Justice Act and also the Right to Education Act.
Hymavati directed the collector to ensure that adequate compensation is paid to the children upon inquiry.